MetaChat REGISTER   ||   LOGIN   ||   IMAGES ARE OFF   ||   RECENT COMMENTS




artphoto by splunge
artphoto by TheophileEscargot
artphoto by Kronos_to_Earth
artphoto by ethylene

Home

About

Search

Archives

Mecha Wiki

Metachat Eye

Emcee

IRC Channels

IRC FAQ


 RSS


Comment Feed:

RSS

12 February 2006

I never thought getting a Master's would come to this... Yet I desperately need Algebra help. Tonight. Or I die.[More:]This shit is killing me. I'm far too rightbrained to even vaguely comprehend WTF is going on with this.

Divide:

M8n6
M4n2

I just don't get it... I'm not *asking* for the anwer, just how you're supposed to do it. ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!
The "M"s cancel.

the "n"s cancel

8/4 = 2

6/2 = 3

2* 3 = 6
posted by orthogonality 12 February | 18:43
Ie,, it's

M/M * 8/4 * n/n * 6/2

Anything divided by itself is 1

1 * 8/4 * 1 * 6.2

Multication by 1 is also an identity, so:

8/4 * 6/2

8/4 = 2/1 = 2

6/2 = 3/1 = 3

2 * 3 = 6
posted by orthogonality 12 February | 18:45
Or you can factor out like terms


M8n6/M4n2

= Mn * ( 8*6 ) / Mn * ( 4*2 )

= Mn * 8 * 6 / Mn * 8

=

Mn8/Mn8 * 6

Mn8/Mn8 cancels = 1, so

= 1 * 6

= 6

There are plenty of ways to look at it.
posted by orthogonality 12 February | 18:50
I'm guessing that's not just multiplication. What are you working on, exactly?
posted by Wolfdog 12 February | 18:50
Of course, you don't have to pair the 8/4 and the 6/2, it's just that you look at it and you immediately see that eight is just two fours
posted by orthogonality 12 February | 18:51
THANK YOU ORTHO!

I was getting ready to jump out the window. Seriously. I don't get this stuff, and "as a review" I've got to do Algebra 1&2. Last time I had any algebra was 13 years ago in HS and the only way I passed was to trade tutoring from my geeky friends for cigarettes and rides. No tutoring is offered this time 'round and I think the part of my brain that's supposed to be used for this kinda thing is somewhere in Tahiti, dendrites in the sand, sucking Pina Coladas through a synapse. Again,

THANK YOU ORTHO!
posted by moonbird 12 February | 19:07
Yeah, no prob. I tutored a kid in algebra last summer, and found that I actually enjoyed doing the algebra, especially doing problems entirely in my head. (Which, incidentally, convinces you of the value of factoring.)

So if you have more questions, I'm glad to help.
posted by orthogonality 12 February | 19:11
what's your masters in? why algebra?
posted by amberglow 12 February | 19:30
I'm gunning for my master's in human services. "Why algebra?" was the exact same question I had for my academic counselor.
posted by moonbird 12 February | 19:49
Just about anything requires some algebra. If Human Services is what it is, you'll need to calculate rates, fees, interest rates, etc.
posted by orthogonality 12 February | 20:18
I think that a lot of requirement courses are just to weed out people who don't want to put the effort into the degree. Sounds harsh, but just about anyone can pass these courses even if they don't learn anything from them. I know that there's a ton of stuff that I can't do anymore but took and passed the classes for.

It's kind of like hazing, really.

I'm not most verdigris-ed penny in the jar but I still have no idea how I managed to pass Calc I with a B. I'm almost certain that I didn't smoke any wrinkly maths teacher cock that semester. I ended up taking Symbolic Logic as an alternative to Calc II for my maths requirements. (My suckiness at math) made me realize that it just wasn't worth getting Chemistry as my 4th major.

Algebra I get, but I have a hard time teaching it to others: I've used algebra to figure out "real life stuff" but it's terribly hard to come up with good examples that can help some people visualize/intuit how algebra works (that can be done on the back of a napkin and without a calculator).
posted by porpoise 12 February | 20:33
Moonbird - I'm so totally in your camp when it comes to bad math skills. I avoid it at all costs, with the caveat that my checkbook has to answer up.

Sit back, put on some Simon and Garfunkel, drink some Chardonnay, and all will be well.

"All will be well, and all will be well, and all manner of math shall be well." (with apologies to Julian of Norwich)
posted by Lipstick Thespian 12 February | 21:42
Huh. I initially read this as "(M to the 8th power times n to the 6th power) divided by (M to the 4th power times n to the second power)." That seems much more like a typical algebra problem to me than the one orthogonality uses.

Moonbird, were exponents involved? I.e., superscripted numbers slightly above the line of the letters? It looks like that's what you were trying to do with the font sizes up there. If so, then the correct answer is "M to the 4th power times n to the 4th power." You simply subtract exponents from the same letter on top and bottom.
posted by mediareport 13 February | 15:08
Whatever you do, || Carole King or Laura Nyro?

HOME  ||   REGISTER  ||   LOGIN